[nipseyrussell]

Hello, i just got a HD plasma (Panasonic TH-42PX50U) over the holidays and now I'm struggling with how to get HD on the dam thing!

I currently have Direct TV satellite and I was really happy with the DTV/tivos combination that we had. Looks like if i wanted to stay with DTV, i'd need to get a new $400 hd-dvr, get an antenna for locals (!!!), and would end up with less HD channels than with comcast. (Also, i think that they are changing all their satellite technology later this year to MPEG4...so might need new boxes then??)

Alternately, i can go to comcast, but then its more expensive, i have to chuck the existing DTV-tivos (which I own & love and only pay $5/month for tivo service) and RENT DVRs from comcast at $10/ month EACH....and lose some of the tivo-specific functionality.

Do the above sound correct? If so, I will probably leave DTV and move over to comcast. Am I missing any decision making factors?

Follow up questions:

Do both the DTV and comcast hd-dvrs have hdmi output? Or maybe component is ok?

Also, this tv is one of the more popular hd flat panels out there and has gotten good reviews in the consumer-grade publications.....maybe not in the high-end reviews....BUT, when i got home i was incredibly disappointed in how regular definition looked on it (much worse than my old crappy CRT). Anyone know if there would be a difference in how standard def would look from DTV vs comcast?

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but i appreciate any feedback!

 

[nipseyrussell]

thanks, all
i too am hopeful that comcast will release a tivo dvr....
...after reading all the rumors, i think the latest i heard is that the boxes will stay the same and comcast will just push tht tivo software out to the boxes, but to use hte tivo software you might have to pay ANOTHER $3/month
arggh

 

[nipseyrussell]

well, just pulled the trigger. comcast came this morning. of course they screwed it all up so it could be a while before i actually start watching tv (luckily i can continue to drain the old programmig on my dt-dvr)

 

[nipseyrussell]

Rumors of my death were greatly exaggerated....besides now that I have a HDTV, a silly thing like death can’t stop me from watching TV

FYI, finally got my Comcast set up.....HD is pretty cool! Now if they only had more HD channels. Also, their "tivo", as anticipated is god-awful.

Anyway, I waited a few days after getting cable to disconnect dtv
when I called dtv to cancel, they of course tried to retain me but I already got comcast.
anyway, the guy told me that dtv is all digital but comcast is analog so he didnt see how they could even offer me HDTV.
My reply was that i was actually watching it at the time and it looked pretty good.
he rambled on about the mpeg4 coming etc etc then he started telling me once again that cable wasnt offering hd and that they were stretching the picture and that i wouldnt enjoy the Discover HD theater channel...unfortunately i had to interrupt him to explain that i was actually watching "Urban Wild" on that very channel on comcast!

sorry to see you go beloved tivo!